


In which nothing changes

by Nary



Category: JourneyQuest
Genre: Confusion, Established Relationship, F/M, Feminist Themes, Gender Issues, Gender Roles, Orcs, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-22
Updated: 2012-12-22
Packaged: 2017-11-21 23:35:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/603293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grellnok and Yart finally have that talk...</p>
            </blockquote>





	In which nothing changes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Measured_Words](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/gifts).



It was clear that something was bothering Grellnok, because he was sharpening the wrong side of his atrocity-knife. Since it was as blunt as one of those ridiculous so-called 'knives' the humies used for squishy things like solidified cow-lactation, it was going to take a while. "Do you want to talk...?" Yart attempted.

"No," he said gruffly. "If I wanted to talk, I would be talking. I don't know why that's so difficult for you to underst--"

"You're talking now," Yart pointed out, leaning back to a safe distance in case Grellnok decided to lash out.

Fortunately, Grellnok just glared and went back to sharpening, or attempting to sharpen, his blade. After a few minutes, though, he snarled and thrust its point into the ground beside the log where they were both sitting. 

"Is it about... you know?" Yart asked, a little worried. "...what I said to the skald?" 

The sergeant, who had been staring into the fire, lost in thought, looked up at the mention of the bard girl, but didn't say anything. 

"No!" Grellnok protested. "Well, maybe. A little." He glanced over to Rilk, who looked away politely, then turned back to Yart, lowering his voice. "I thought I knew you. But then you go and spring something like that on me!"

"There was never a good time to tell you, 'by the way, I think of myself as a female,'" Yart said, matching his quiet tone (well, quiet for an orc, which meant 'not bellowing'.) "But I'm still me. I'm not any different than I was yesterday."

Grellnok looked down, furrowing his brow as if thinking hard. "You can't be a female," he said at last. Yart thought at first that he meant 'without magical assistance', but he continued. "What if it changes things? With us. Everyone knows it's normal for males to rut with males when they're in a war party, obviously, but it's different doing it with a female. First it's fun for a while, but then things get _complicated_ and they want to _settle down_ and _breed_ and then before you know it they're saying things like 'no, you can't go on a raid this summer, you have to fix the leaky roof instead,' and 'why don't you ever take me to Blood Mountain anymore, Garla's mate is taking her...'

Yart couldn't help but smile at that. "Grellnok, don't be ridiculous. Nothing is going to change between us. I don't need a mate to settle down with. I can fix my own roof. I don't even like going to Blood Mountain, it's always too crowded and you can never get a seat. I... well, I won't say I never want to have young, but certainly not now, and anyway... that would be a whole different matter. It's certainly not going to happen by accident."

Grellnok still didn't look entirely comfortable. "What am I supposed to call you now?" he asked at last. Yart was touched that he was making an effort to understand, at least.

"Yart is still fine. I just consider it short for Yartaka."

"That's... pretty?" Grellnok said uncertainly. 

"Maybe it's a good thing we're all that's left," Rilk interjected unexpectedly. Yart hadn't even been sure how closely he was listening, but with the sergeant, it was usually a good bet that he was paying attention, even when he didn't look like he was. "Because I don't think Kurn would have taken kindly to having a female in the raiding party, even one who can swing a blade." 

"You don't care, though?" Yart asked, wary.

Rilk shrugged. "You can call yourself anything you want. You can say you're a pixie if that's what you feel like. It doesn't bother me. But then, I don't see any good reason why females shouldn't fight too. They're just as strong and tough as us. And it's not like we couldn't use the help. Some of the human women fight, and elves..."

Grellnok looked mildly scandalized. "Females are supposed to be revered! We protect them and their young, and honor them, and do what they say. If they came on raiding parties, they'd take over. War is the only place we still get to be real males!" He looked over at Yart. "Uh, no offense."

"None taken," Yart reassured him. "I don't want to be protected. I'm a strong, independent female. I don't expect you to treat me like I'm made of ...that stupid fragile clear stuff rich humies drink out of, that makes them scream when you smash it into their faces."

" _Glass_ ," Rilk supplied. They both looked at him, surprised. He shrugged. "Some of the words stuck with me, I guess, after that potion." 

Yart nodded. "Right, _glass_. I mean, a little honor and respect might be nice, and maybe some flowers now and then, but you don't have to protect me - not any more than usual, anyway - and you definitely don't have to do what I say. We're equal, right? Same as before." 

Grellnok accepted Yart's smack on the shoulder in the normal manner, with a smile and a slap back. His brow remained furrowed though, as if he was still dwelling on something. "Are you going to shave your beard?" he asked eventually.

Yart frowned, looking a little offended. "My mother had a particularly beautiful beard. Very soft, and she used to braid it with ribbons. I'm still working on growing mine long enough..."

"Fine, I get it," Grellnok sighed. "Nothing's changing, except you're a female, but I'm not supposed to treat you like a female, and you look exactly the same as before, and things are going to stay the same between us, except that now I have to give you flowers sometimes before we rut. Is that about it?"

Yart smiled widely. "Yes! Now you understand perfectly. I knew you would!"

Rilk sighed and looked down at the fire while Yart and Grellnok went off for their usual evening session in the bushes together. Grellnok was just saying, "So what am I supposed to do with your cock now that you're a female?" and Yart was explaining it to him, but Rilk was too distracted by his own worries to pay much attention to them. If only it was so easy to understand a human female...

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


End file.
